Dental floss



Jan. 13, 1931. c. PFANSTIEHL 1,789,052

DENTAL FLOSS Filed Jan. 16, 1929 Patented Jan. 13, 1931 CARL PFANSTIEHL, or HIGHIQIAND time, IL Iirivors DENTAL moss Application filed January 16, 1929. I Seriai 13329 051 The present invention relates to improvements in dental floss and may be fully understood from the following description, illustrated by the accompanying drawings,

in which the figure illustrates diagrammati-- suitable for cally and in section apparatus the presby numeral 5, is withdrawn from a spool 6' mounted on a support 7 and is guided by guides 8 through a body of molten galactonic lactone in a mildly heated container 9. The container may be heated in any suitable manner, for example, by a steam jacket 10, or by a gas or an electric heater or the The fiber, impregnated with the molten lactone, in leaving the latter is drawn through a body of melted waxy material 11 lying on the surface of the lactone and confined by the open-ended tube 12 dipping into and is spooled or otherwise prepared for use.

although preferably the former. The melt-' 39 ed galactonic lactone impregnates the fiber and in the use of the latter is brought. directly in frictional contact with tartar and mucin deposits lodged in pockets between V the teeth, and, by'removal from the fiber, lactone material is left in contact with such v deposits. The lactone material, in the presence of the aqueous mouth fluids, supplies an innocuous concentrated source of mild acid, acting as a potential acid. It breaks down the tartar and mucin deposits, continuously forming additional eflective acid as that previously formed is utilized. The movement of the fiber of the floss then more readily effects the removal of the deposits. Other potentially acid-materials may be employed, preferably the sugar acid lactones, such as mannonic lactone, gluconic lactone, or the like. The melted. lactones may be employed, the impregnating bath being kept at temperatures of, say, to

the bath." The treated fiber cools rapidly.

. coated with waxy material.

galactonic lactone.

C., or highly concentrated'solutions or syrups thereof, normallyliquid, may be employed at lower temperatures.

The waxy material 11 may suitably be beeswax, paraflin wax, ceresine' or-ceresin- 55 like wax, or other innocuous waxy or fatty material. It imparts flexibility to the twisted floss, counteracting brittleness due to the crystalline impregnating material,

and likewise preventsundue responsiveness 6 V to change in atmospheric conditions, such as humidity. Notwithstanding its insoluble character, the waxy material does not affect the action of the floss in the mouth, but in fact appears to improve it. If desired, how- Q ever, the use of'the'waxymaterial may be dispensed with. i l

I claim:

1. Dental floss impregnated with a potential acid material.

2. Dental floss impregnated with a potential acid material and with waxy material 7 associated with said potential acid material.

3. Dental floss impregnated with sugar acid lactone; I

4:. Dental floss impregnated with sugar acid lactone and with waxy material'associated with said lactone. v V

5. Dental floss impregnated with galactoniclactone. a

6. Dental floss impregnated with galactonic lactone and with waxy material associated with said lactone. i r

7. Dental flossvcomprising a fibrous cord impregnated with a potentially acid material and provided witha coating of waxy mate I rial.

8. Dental floss comprising a fibrous cord impregnated with sugar, acid lactone and coated with waxy material. 9?

9. Dental floss comprising a fibrous cord impregnated with galactonic lactone and 10. The method of preparing dental floss: which comprises drawing a fibrous cord i? through a heated liquid body containing 11. The method of preparing dental floss Y which comprises passing a cord through a heated liquid body containing galactonic lactone, confining a pool of melted waxy material on the surface of said body, and'withdrawing the thread through said pool. 7

12. The method of preparing dental floss which comprises passing a fibrous cord successively through a liquid body containing a sugar acid lactone and a; pool of melted waxy material,

13. The method of preparindental floss which comprises drawing a fibrous cordthrough a liquid body eoiitaining a sugar acid lactone.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 3d day of Januar 1929.,

GARL PFAN TIEHL. 

